Happenings on the Korean Peninsula

According to Global Security Newswire, North Koreans told Selig Harrison that they had weaponized approximately 30 kilograms of plutonium.  As part of the discussions the officials relayed the message that,

North Korea is now a nuclear weapons state and will not commit itself now on when it will give it up as a result of denuclearization negotiations

At the same time, the Associated Press recently reported that South Korea's number 2 negotiator confirmed that North Korea is in fact moving towards its goal of disarmament and Reuters published an article discussing a pro-Pyongyang paper's article about the North's willingness to work with the Administration. It will be interesting to see to how these seemingly different paths will be reconciled in negotiations with the incoming Obama Administration.  North Korean hardline attempts may make concessions at the bargaining table become even more difficult.  With Kim Jong Il's health constantly in question, it will be important to see who becomes in charge of calling the shots in North Korea.